spencer and ashley
by LOVEASH
Summary: a spashley bonnie and clyde
1. Chapter 1

BEDROOM. Spencer carlin . DAY

Blonde, somewhat fragile, intelligent in expression. She is

putting on make-up with intense concentration and

appreciation, applying lipstick and eye make-up.

. She is standing before the full-length mirror in her bedroom doing her make-up. She overdoes it in the style of the time: rosebud mouth and so forth.

,

The bedroom itself is a second-story bedroom in a lower-

class frame house in West Dallas, Texas. The neighbourhood

is low income. Though the room reveals its shabby

surroundings, it also reveals an attempt by Spencer to fix it

up. Small and corny objects d'art are all over the tops of

the bureaus, vanity tables, etc. (Little glass figurines and

porcelain statuettes and the like.)

Spencer finishes admiring herself. She walks from the mirror

and moves slowly across the room, until she reaches the screened window on the opposite wall. The shade is up. There are no curtains. She looks out the window, looking down,

BEDROOM. Spencer P.O.V.

Over her shoulder, we see the driveway leading to the garage

connected to the house. There is an old car parked in the

driveway, its windows open. We see a girl walking up the

driveway, somewhat furtively. she is a rather dapper fellow,

dressed in a dark suit with a vest, a white collar, and a

straw boater. It is Ashley Davies. Obviously, she is about

to steal the car. she looks it over, checking around her to

make sure no passers-by are coming. she peers inside the

front window to see if the keys are in the ignition. she

studies the dashboard. Spencer continues watching, silently.

Finally she calls out.

Spencer

Hey, you! What you doin' with my

mama's car?

DRIVEWAY.

Ashley, startled, jumps and looks to see who has caught her.

Obviously frightened, she looks up and her face freezes at

what she sees.

WINDOW. Ashley's P.O.V. day

We now see what she is looking at: at the open window,

revealed from the waist up, is the naked Spencer. She looks

down, an impudent half-smile on her face. She doesn't move

or make any attempt to cover herself

-- whose face changes from astonishment to an answering

smile of impudence. (Seeing what she has, she realizes that

this girl is clearly not going to scream for the police.

Already they are in a little game instigated by spencer,

sizing each other up, competing in a kind of playful

arrogance. Before they speak, they have become

co-conspirators.)

Spencer

Wait there!

BEDROOM.

Running from the window, she flings open a closet and grabs

a dress, and shoes. She slips on the shoes, and flings the

dress on, running out the door as she does.

. As she runs down the stairs she buttons up the dress.

DRIVEWAY. DAY.

She flies out the door, slamming it behind her, runs off the

Porch and continues quickly into

the driveway. Four feet away from Ashley, she stops on a

dime. They stand there, looking at each other, smiling the

same challenge. For a few seconds, no one speaks, then:

Spencer

(putting her on)

Ain't you ashamed? Tryin' to steal

an old lady's automobile.

Ashley

(with the same put-on)

I been thinkin' about buyin' me one.

Spencer

Bull. You ain't got money for

dinner, let alone buy no car.

Ashley

(still the battle of

wits going on)

Now I got enough money for cokes,

and since it don't look like you're

gonna invite me inside--

Spencer

You'd steal the dining room table

if I did.

Ashley

(she moves from her spot)

Come to town with me, then. How'd

that be?

Spencer

(starting to walk

onto the sidewalk)

Goin' to work anyway.

It is a hot Texas afternoon, all white light and glare. As they walk the block to town in this, their manner of mutual impudence is still pervading.

Ashley

Goin' to work, huh? What do you do?

Spencer

None of your business.

Ashley

(pretending to give

it serious thought)

I bet you're a...movie star!

(thinks)

No...A lady mechanic?...No...A

maid?--

Spencer

(really offended by that)

What do you think I am?

Ashley

(right on the nose)

A waitress.

Spencer

(slightly startled by

her accuracy, anxious

to get back now that

she is temporarily

one-up)

What line of work are you in? When

you're not stealin' cars?

Ashley

(mysteriously)

I tell you, I'm lookin' for suitable

employment right at the moment.

Spencer

What did you do before?

Ashley

(coolly, knowing its effect)

I was in State Prison.

Spencer

State Prison?

(she shows her surprise)

Ashley

Yeah.

Spencer

(herself again)

Guess some little old lady wasn't

so nice.

Ashley

(tough)

It was armed robbery.

Spencer

(sarcastically)

My, my, the things that turn up in

the driveway these days.

MAIN STREET. DAY.

--a small-town street of barber shops, cafes, groceries, etc.

At the moment, it is deserted. They continue walking down

the empty street. Ashley looks the place over. Tracking.

Ashley

What do y'all do for a good time

around here, listen to the grass

grow?

Spencer

Guess you had a lot more fun up at

State Prison, huh?

Ashley laughs, enjoying her repartee. They continue walking.

At a hydrant, Ashley stops.

Ashley

(showing off, but seriously)

See this foot?

(pointing at her

right foot)

I chopped two toes off of it. With

an axe.

Spencer

(shocked)

What? Why?

Ashley

To get off the damn work detail,

that's why.

(stopping)

Want to see?

Spencer

(a lady of some sensitivity)

No!...

(turning a cute)

I surely don't intend to stand here

and look at your dirty feet in the

middle of Main Street.

They continue walking in silence past a few stores, each

planning what next to say.

Spencer

girl, did you really do that?

Ashley

Yeah.

Spencer

You must be crazy.

EXT. GAS STATION. DAY.

Gas station up the block. Spencer and Ashley are seen leaning

against the soft drink chest, their profiles silhouetted by

the bright sun. They are drinking cokes. As they begin to

talk,. Ashley takes off

her hat and rubs the cold coke bottle across her forehead.

Spencer watches her.

Spencer

What's it like?

Ashley

Prison?

Spencer

(very interested)

No, armed robbery.

Ashley

(she thinks it a silly question)

It's...I don't know...it isn't like

anything.

Spencer

(thinking she's heard

proof that she's a liar)

Hah! I knew you never robbed bo

place, you faker.

ashley

(challenged)

Oh, yeah?

(studies her, then

makes up her mind to

show her)

Gun. Day. she reaches in her jacket and pulls

out a gun.

STREET.

Spencer looking at it with fascination. The weapon has an immediate effect on her. She touches it in a manner almost sexual, full of repressed excitement.

spencer

(goading her on)

Yeah, well you got one all right, I

guess...but you wouldn't have the

gumption to use it.

7.

ashley

(picking up the

challenge, proving herself)

You just keep your eyes open.

LITTLE GROCERY STORE ACROSS THE STREET. DAY.

ashley goes into the little store. Spencer remain outside

watching. For a minute nothing happens. she can

barely see what is going on in the store. Then ashley comes

out, walking slowly. In one hand she holds the gun, in the

other a fistful of money. she gets halfway, to spencer and

smiles broadly at her, a smile of charm and personality.

She smiles back. The moment is intense, as if a spark has

jumped from one to the other. Their relationship, which

began the minute spencer spotted her in the driveway, has now

really begun. ashley has shown her stuff and spencer is

"turned on."

Suddenly the old man who runs the grocery store comes

running out into the street, completely dumbfounded. He

stands there and says nothing, yet his mouth moves in silent

protest. ashley points the gun above him and fires.

. The old man, terrified, runs back into the store as

fast as he can, ashley quickly grabs spencer's hand. And they walk away

STORE. AT THE EDGE OF TOWN. DAY.

A car is parked at the back of the store. As soon as they

reach it, ashley motions and spencer gets in. ashley runs to

the front, lifts up the hood and crosses the wires to make

it start. As she stands back, spencer calls to her:

spencer

Hey, what's your name, anyway?

ashley

(she slams the hood)

Ashley davies.

sHe runs over to the door, opens it, shoves her over, and

starts up the engine. The entire sequence is played at an

incredible rapid pace.

8.

BONNIE

(loud, to make

herself heard over

the gunning motor)

Hi, I'm Spencer carlin . Please to

meet you.

ROAD. DAY.

VROOM! The car zooms off down the road, doing 90. The fast

country breakdown music starts up on the sound track, going

just as fast as the car.

CAR. DAY.

The car, still speeding, further down the road. ashley is driving, spencer is all over her, biting her ear,ruffling her hair, running her hands all over her--in short, making passionate love to her while she drives. The thrill of the robbery and the escape has turned her on sexually.

. DAY.

. The car starts to go crazy in a comical fashion, just what is happening to the driver controlling it. The

car swerves all over the road. The car comes to a sudden

halt. The car starts again. It swerves this time almost

right off the road before it straightens out. It jumps and

jerks. Another car comes down the road the other way and

ashley's car swerves so much as to make the guy drive

right off the road into the dirt. It is almost Mack Sennett

stuff, but not quite that much.

. CAR. Ashley and spencer.

spencer grabs the wheel and turns it sharply.

CAR. DAY.

It hairpins off the road onto a shoulder beneath some trees.

CAR. spencer AND Ashley DAY.

--still settling to a stop. spencer and ashley appear to be

necking heavily now, punctuated by spencers's squeals of

passion as she squirms and hops about like a flea, trying to

get to ashley. The floor gear-shift is keeping their bodies

apart, however. In exasperation, spencer takes the gear

shift and shoves it forward out of their way. She plunges

onto ashley, burying her from view.

9.

spencer

(kissing, biting)

...You ready?...

ashley

(muffled, laughing)

...Hey, wait...

spencer

(giggling herself)

Aren't you ready? Well, get ready!

Spencer has obviously touched her. With savage coquetry she

tears into her clothes and ashley.

spencer

(muffled)

C'mon, honey, c'mon, gril...let's

go...let's...

ashley

(muffled)

Hey...hey, wait a minute...quit

that now, cut it out.

(sharply)

I said, cut it out!

she shoves her rudely away, slamming her into the far car

door. Suddenly it looks as if they've been fighting. Both

unbuttoned and unglued, they stare silently at one another,

breathing heavily. ashley gets out of the car, clearly

shaken. Despite the fact that she may have encountered this

situation many times before, it's one that no twenty-one-

year-old girl in 1932 is sophisticated enough to dismiss

easily with bravado.

spencer remains seated in the car. She seems terribly

vulnerable. She fumbles about for a cigarette, too confused

to figure out what didn't happen. ashley turns back and

reaches through the car window from the driver's side,

lighting it for her. BONNIE casts CLYDE a fishy stare, then

accepts the light.

CLYDE

(trying to be casual,

even insouciant)

Look, I don't do that. It's not

that I can't--

(his voice cracks,

the match burns his

fingers, and he bangs

his head onto roof of

car, and he goes

right on)

--it's just that I don't see no

percentage in it.

(MORE)

10.

ashley (CONT'D)

I mean there's nothin' wrong with

me, I don't like boys.

spencer doesn't know what she thinks, and ashley is trying to

gauge her reaction--whether she feels rejected or repelled.

In fact, it's both--along with a little latent fascination.

spencer

(finally, spitting

out smoke)

Boy...boy...boy...

CLYDE

(a little annoyed)

Boy, what?

spencer

Your advertising is dandy. Folks'd

just never guess you don't have a

thing to sell.

(a little afraid)

You better take me home, now.

ashley

(getting back into car)

Wait!

spencer

Don't touch me!

She gets out of car, leaving ashley draped across the front

seat, reaching after her.

ashley

(almost shouting)

If all you want's,

then get on back to West Dallas and

stay there the rest of your life!

This stops her. Now ashley pours it on, with an almost

maniacal exuberance that becomes more controlled as she gets

control of spencer.

spencer

But you're worth more'n that, a lot

more, and you know it, and that's

why you come along with me. You

could find a lover on every

corner in town and it doesn't make

a damn to them whether you're

waiting on tables or picking

cotton, so long as you cooperate.

But it does make a damn to me!

11.

Spencer

(turning, intrigued)

Why?

ashley

Why? Because you're different!

You're like me and you want

different things.

spencer is hooked now.

ashley

(continuing)

You and me travelin' together, we

could cut clean acrost this state,

and Kansas, too, and maybe dip into

Oklahoma, and Missouri or whatnot,

and catch ourselves highpockets and

a highheeled ol' time. We can be

somethin' we could never be alone.

I'll show you...when we walk into

the Adolphus Hotel in San Antone',

you wearin' a silk dress, they'll

be waitin' on you and believe me,

sugar, they're gonna know your last

name.

she stops, having begun to woo her to something more intense

than a casual, physical coupling.

spencer

When'd you figure that all out?

ashley

First time I saw you.

spencer

How come?

ashley

(intensely, with real honesty)

'Cause you may be the best damn

girl in Texas.

spencer

Who are you, anyway?


	2. Chapter 2

ROADSIDE CAFE. spencer AND Ashley . DAY.

spencer and ashley seated in booth, now C.U. ashley. the question that BONNIE has justasked is now suddenly rebutted by ashley, as she points a finger at her.

ashley

(not answering her,

preferring to lead

the conversation)

I'll tell you about you.

she loves doing this and she does it well. The more she

envisions spencer's life, the more instinctively accurate she

becomes. She grows more and more fascinated, like a child

watching a mind reader.

Ashley

Lessee...You were born somewheres

around East Texas...got a big old

family, right?...You went to

school, of course, but you didn't

take to it much 'cause you was a

lot smarter than everybody else

anyway. So you just quit. Now...

(thinking, playing it

for all it's worth)

...When you were sixteen...no,

seventeen, there was a guy who

worked in...uh...

Pull back taking in spencer, favoring ashley.

spencer

(fascinated)

Cement plant--

ashley

Right. Cement plant. And you

liked him 'cause he thought you was

just as nice as you could be. You

almost married that guy, but

then...you thought, no, you didn't

think you would. So you got your

job in the cafe... and because u are gay to

(getting closer to

home now, hitting

them right in there)

And every morning you wake up and

you hate it. You just hate it.

And you get down there and you put

on your white uniform--

13.

spencer

(enthralled)

Pink.

ashley

And the truck drivers come in to

eat greasy burgers and they kid you

and you kid them back, but they're

stupid and dumb, boys with big

tattoos all over 'em, and you don't

like it...And they ask you for

dates and sometimes you go...but

you mostly don't, and all they ever

try is to get into your pants

whether you want to or not...and

you go home and sit in your room

and think, when and how will I ever

get away from this?...And now you

know.

spencer is half-mesmerized by her talk. A waitress comes

with their food. A cheap, gaudy dame, she has spit curls on

each temple in the style of the times. ashley looks at her

and at spencer, who also wears spit curls. As soon as the

waitress leaves:

ashley

(pointing at her hair)

Change that. I don't like it.

Without a word of protest, spencer immediately reaches in her

bag and takes out a mirror. She holds it up and with the

other hand, brushes back her spit curls into her hair. She

never again wears them. When she has pushed them back she

looks at ashley for her approval. SHe nods her okay. She

smiles, puts back her mirror and begins to eat her food.

She's ravenously hungry and eats with total concentration on

her plate. ashley doesn't touch her food, just watches

spencer eat for a minute.

ashley

God, you're a knockout.

. ROADSIDE CAFE. DAY FOR DUSK.

ashley and spencer emerge from the cafe into the early evening.

They move toward the car they have stolen. Just beyond sits

a newer model car. spencer is surprised to see ashley head

toward the newer car.

spencer

Hey, that ain't ours.

ashley

Sure it is.

spencer

But we came in this one.

ashley

Don't mean we have to go home in it.

She walks amazed around the new car and gets in beside her.

she turns the key and they pull away from the cafe.

ABANDONED FARM HOUSE.

DAY.

The room is bare. In the middle spencer is waking, having

slept on a couple of car seats covered with an old piece of

tattered blanket. There are windows behind her. She looks

about bewildered.

spencer

ashley...

She starts to panic and runs to the window.

spencer

(continuing)

ashley...

At another window ashley appears.

ashley

Hey, lady.

spencer

(chagrined at her fear)

Where you been keeping yourself?

ashley

Slept out by the car.

spencer

Oh...These accommodations ain't

particularly deluxe.

ashley

No...If they're after us, I want

the first shot. Come on, you got

some work to do.

spencer moves to the door and out of the house.

15.

FARM HOUSE. FRONT YARD. DAY.

On the door is a sign which reads:

INSERT:

PROPERTY OF MIDLOTHIAN CITIZENS BANK -- TRESPASSERS WILL BE

PROSECUTED.

Wide angle. Across fence. Day. On the dilapidated picket

fence six old bottles have been placed. As spencer joins

ashley she turns and fires six quick shots. The bottles

disappear.

spencer

You're good.

ashley

The best.

spencer

And modest...

ashley

Come on. Got you all set up over

here.

. They move around to the side of the building

where ashley points to a tire hanging by a rope from a tree.

sHe means that to be spencer's target. sHe hands her a gun.

ashley

Set her spinnin'.

spencer fires. She misses.

ashley

Again. Come down slow with it...

spencer fires again and hits the tire. She smiles and blows

the smoke from the barrel in pride and self-mockery.

ashley

Ain't you something? I tell you

I'm going to get you a Smith and

Wesson, it'll be easier in your

hand. Now try it again once...

spencer sights. As she is about to fire, a man appears

around the corner of the building. A FARMER. She fires and

hits the tire.

FARMER

Heighdo.

ashley whirls at the sound. sHe grabs gun from spncer because

she is empty. sHe aims at FARMER.

FARMER

(frightened)

No miss...no miss. You all go right

ahead.

Ashley watches him warily.

FARMER

(continuing)

Used to be my place. Not any more.

Bank took it.

ashley and spencer start to move toward the farmer. All three

move around to the front of the building. At a distance we

see an Okie car loaded with belongings. A WOMAN with a BABY

in arms sits in front. A smaller BOY stands outside the car.

FARMER

Yes miss, moved us off. Now it

belongs to them.

(He points at the

foreclosure sign.)

spencer

Well, that's a pitiful shame.

ashley shakes her head sympathetically. sHe loads the empty

gun.

FARMER

(bitterly)

You're damned right, ma'm.

He looks up to see an OLD NEGRO who has come from a distance

shack and now stands near ashley's car.

FARMER

(nodding toward Negro)

Me and him put in the years here.

Yesmiss. So you all go right ahead.

We just come by for a last look.

He stands a moment looking at the house and then turns

around toward his family in the car. ashley and spencer look

after him. CLYDE spins and fires three fast shots into the

fore-closure sign. The FARMER stops and turns, looking at

ashley. ashley offers the gun to the farmer. He looks at it,

then accepts it. He slowly takes aim at the sign and fires.

It pleases him. He looks at ashley and spencer who smile.

FARMER

You all mind?

spencer and ashley are puzzled.

FARMER

Hey, Dave! Come on over here.

The NEGRO moves toward them. Now spencer understands. She

takes the second gun from ashley and hands it to DAVe.

DAVe looks from spencer to the FARMER and toward the house.

The FARMER fires again. This time at a window. He nods to

DAVe. DAVe slowly raises the gun and fires at another

window. It shatters and they can't keep from laughing. The

FARMER returns the gun as does DAVe.

FARMER

(continuing)

Much obliged.

He extends his hand. ashley shakes it.

FARMER

Otis Harrison. And this here's

Dave. We worked this place.

ashley

(formally)

Miss spencer carlin . And I'm ashley

davies.

Across farmer's car.. Day. The FARMER turns and

moves toward his people. DAVe moves toward his shack.

ashley and spencer in the b.g.

ashley and spencer.

ashley

(continuing)

We rob banks.

spencer turns quickly to look at ashley. sHe smiles and nods.


End file.
